Wireless communication systems typically include wireless access nodes which provide access to communication services for wireless communication devices over wireless links. A typical wireless communication system includes systems to provide wireless access across a geographic region, with different wireless coverage areas associated with individual wireless access nodes. The wireless access systems exchange communications between wireless communication devices, service providers, and other network elements. The communications typically include voice calls, data exchanges, web pages, streaming media, text messages, and other communication services. The wireless communication devices utilize “forward link” or “downlink” communication channels to receive voice and/or data transmitted from the wireless access node, and “reverse link” or “uplink” communication channels to transmit information up to the node.
In Long-Term Evolution (LTE) communication systems, a wireless communication device is referred to as User Equipment (UE), while a wireless access node is called an enhanced Node B (eNodeB). In some situations, a relay node is also utilized to relay communications between an eNodeB and outlying UE devices that do not receive good coverage from the eNodeB but are within range of the relay node. The relay node effectively enables a wireless backhaul solution to transmit communications between connected UE devices and the eNodeB so that communication services may be provided to the UE devices.
Overview
A method of operating a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) base station to facilitate identification of uplink interference is disclosed, wherein the LTE base station serves a plurality of User Equipment (UE) devices and one or more relay nodes. The method comprises identifying a first scheduling group comprising the plurality of UE devices and a second scheduling group comprising the one or more relay nodes based on LTE registration data. The method further comprises allocating uplink resource blocks by scheduling a first portion of the uplink resource blocks at one end of a channel spectrum to the UE devices in the first scheduling group and scheduling a second portion of the uplink resource blocks at the other end of the channel spectrum to the one or more relay nodes in the second scheduling group. The method further comprises monitoring for interference in the second portion of the uplink resource blocks to determine if the interference is associated with the one or more relay nodes in the second scheduling group.
An LTE base station to facilitate identification of uplink interference comprises a processing system. The LTE base station serves a plurality of UE devices and one or more relay nodes. The processing system is configured to identify a first scheduling group comprising the plurality of UE devices and a second scheduling group comprising the one or more relay nodes based on LTE registration data, allocate uplink resource blocks by scheduling a first portion of the uplink resource blocks at one end of a channel spectrum to the UE devices in the first scheduling group and scheduling a second portion of the uplink resource blocks at the other end of the channel spectrum to the one or more relay nodes in the second scheduling group, and monitor for interference in the second portion of the uplink resource blocks to determine if the interference is associated with the one or more relay nodes in the second scheduling group.
A computer apparatus to operate an LTE base station to facilitate identification of uplink interference comprises software instructions and at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing the software instructions, wherein the LTE base station serves a plurality of UE devices and one or more relay nodes. The software instructions are configured, when executed by the LTE base station, to direct the LTE base station to identify a first scheduling group comprising the plurality of UE devices and a second scheduling group comprising the one or more relay nodes based on LTE registration data. The software instructions are further configured to direct the LTE base station to allocate uplink resource blocks by scheduling a first portion of the uplink resource blocks at one end of a channel spectrum to the UE devices in the first scheduling group and scheduling a second portion of the uplink resource blocks at the other end of the channel spectrum to the one or more relay nodes in the second scheduling group. The software instructions are further configured to direct the LTE base station to monitor for interference in the second portion of the uplink resource blocks to determine if the interference is associated with the one or more relay nodes in the second scheduling group.